The Pahalgam Massacre: A Tragedy Ignored, A Narrative Lost

On April 20, 2025, tragedy struck the scenic town of Pahalgam in Jammu & Kashmir, where a brutal terrorist attack claimed the lives of at least 27 Hindu tourists. According to emerging reports, the victims were specifically identified as Hindus through various means—ID cards, attire, accents—before being gunned down. The perpetrators belonged to a local Islamic terror outfit with close links to Pakistani terrorist groups, suggesting a premeditated and ideologically driven assault.

This mass killing occurred while U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance was visiting India—a moment of diplomatic importance that perhaps forced some global powers to take quick note. Vice President Vance assured unconditional American support, and former U.S. President Donald Trump echoed the sentiment. Nations like Russia, China, and several Arab states sent formal condolences. Yet, despite the scale and religious nature of the attack, the international media’s response remained disproportionately subdued.

Muted International Coverage: A Tale of Narrative Bias

Leading media outlets such as CNN, The New York Times, and The Washington Post relegated the massacre to small columns or side notes, failing to place it on the front pages. The religious targeting of Hindu tourists was completely ignored in many cases, reducing the incident to just another regional terror attack.

The Washington Post’s Contradiction

Instead of highlighting the atrocity, The Washington Post gave front-page space to an op-ed by Indian-origin journalist Rana Ayyub, who dismissed the U.S. visit as a hollow gesture and criticized America’s policy towards India. Her piece failed to even mention the massacre.

A separate short article buried in the “World” section focused on a Kashmiri man named Abdul Wahid, who courageously saved lives. While his actions were noble, this human-interest angle further diluted the core issue—the religious targeting and mass murder of Hindu civilians.

Alternate Narratives from the Region

In Pakistan, the Dawn newspaper acknowledged the attack but warned its readers that India had vowed a “loud and clear” response, advising caution. It speculated that the violence was a reaction to non-Kashmiris being settled in the region, subtly justifying the attack.

Al Jazeera went a step further by calling the attackers part of a “new local liberation front”, and claimed the victims were not civilians, but government agents on an operation. It painted the incident as a political strike, rather than a religiously motivated massacre.

Such alternative framing contributes to a dangerous distortion of truth, positioning the mass killing as an act of political resistance instead of targeted, ideological violence.

India seems loosing the First Round in the Narrative War

Despite the scale and symbolism of the attack, India seems loosing the first round of the global narrative war. The lack of a coordinated communication strategy, inadequate international media reach, and an over-reliance on state channels have enabled foreign narratives to dominate.

While think tanks, NGOs, and human rights organizations are quick to issue detailed reports on even small incidents elsewhere, India’s institutional response often lags behind or lacks emotional and strategic storytelling. This weakness is amplified in crises like the Pahalgam massacre.

This Was Not Just Terror—It Was Religious Cleansing

The brutal killing of unarmed Hindu tourists, based solely on their religious identity, is not a generic case of terrorism. It is religiously motivated violence, bordering on ethnic cleansing. To call it anything less is to betray the truth and insult the victims.

It is crucial for global observers, media houses, and international agencies to recognize this for what it is—a hate crime, a massacre, and a grim reflection of the ideological poison festering in the region.

Simple Ways to Win the Narrative War

To reclaim its story and present facts effectively to the global community, India must invest in narrative tools and platforms. Here are practical ways to do that:

1. Build a Global Media Network
   Create and promote multilingual platforms that project India’s perspective in a credible, journalistic tone.
2. Fact-Based Micro-Content
   Share brief, fact-checked videos, infographics, and social media posts in English and other languages to break global echo chambers.
3. Leverage the Indian Diaspora
   Encourage NRIs and PIOs to engage with foreign media, local lawmakers, and civil society with facts and advocacy.
4. Create Real-Time Fact-Check Teams
   Establish agile teams to debunk misinformation and disinformation within hours of an incident.
5. Engage International Think Tanks
   Collaborate with research institutions globally to ensure Indian voices are present in strategic discussions and reports.
6. Utilize Private Blogs, Articles, and Social Media
   Encourage citizens, journalists, and influencers to share accurate accounts via independent blogs, YouTube videos, newsletters, and X (Twitter). Grassroots content can often spread faster and reach audiences mainstream media won’t.

Final Note:
India doesn’t lack truth; it lacks loud, coordinated, and consistent truth-telling. The Pahalgam massacre is not just a tragedy—it is a call to arms in the war of narratives. If we fail to tell our stories, others will tell them for us—and not always with our truth.